Water ski clamp



Feb. 25, 1964 p, u so JR 3,121,891

WATER SKI CLAMP Filed Aug. 3, 1962 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR. FIG. 5. JOHN P. HUMASON,JR

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,121,891 WATER SKI CLAMP .lchn l. Humason, Jr., 734% Dixie Drive, Houston, Tex. Filed Aug. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 214,643 Claims. (Cl. 931()) The present invention relates to water skis. More particularly, the present invention relates to particular means for clamping the rubber vamp and heel support to the ski body. In its most particular aspect, the present inven tion relates to a unitary, roughly horseshoe shaped clamp provided with continuous ridges extending on the underside thereof and bridging the rubber vamp and heel support on the ski.

in the prior art, the problem of retaining in place the thick, resilient rubber vamp and heel support of a water ski boot has been solved by forming an upwardly extending ridge on the outer portion of the rubber pieces, involving the use of a stiffer rubber material than is entirely comfortable to the skier. The prior art clamps have thick, resilient rubber pieces using separate clamps for the toe portion and for the heel support, sometimes involving movable supports for the heel in order to adapt to feet of different sizes.

The present invention is directed to a custom ski where the boot is fashioned for a particular foot, and wherein no adjustability is required. In order to prevent the rubber of the boot portions from pulling out from beneath the clamp, it has been found necessary to incorporate two features. Firstly, the clamp is made in a generally horseshoe shape, extending over the vamp portion as well as around the heel portion, and a ridge is formed on the undersuriace of each side of the horseshoe extending substantially along each side and bridging the break between the heel support and the vamp. It is most important that this break be bridged with a ridged clamp, since the thickness of the vamp and the thickness of the heel support generally are different, since the heel support must be more rigid than the vamp. Without the ridge forming a bridge across the break, the toe portion tends to pull from beneath the clamp, even though pierced by the mounting screws at several locations.

The present invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a ski incorporating the clamp of tr e present invention;

PEG. 2 is a bottom View of a clamp for the right foot;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the clamp shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the clamp taken on lines i i of FIGS. 2 and 3; and

MG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ski of FIG. 1 taken on lines 5--5 thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the ski boot 1% is shown mounted on a ski till, and is seen to comprise a vamp or toe piece 162, a heel support 103, and a clamp 104. The vamp and heel support are constructed of relatively thick, flexible material, preferably foam rubber of high density. The vamp or toe piece is constructed of more flexible material than the heel piece, suitably by forming the heel support 1% of thicker material than the vamp or toe piece.

The clamp is retained on the ski by screws res, which are drawn into the ski body.

By reference to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the clamp comprises a generally horseshoe configuration, one side of which may extend farther than the other. It is to be understood that the sides may extend an equal distance, depending upon the requirements for comfort of the user. The clamp is seen to comprise ridges 109 on each side of the clamp which extend substantially completely down each side of the clamp, particularly bridging the portion of the clamp which passes over the break between the vamp and the heel support.

In PEG. 3 it is seen that the ridges 1&9 extend substantially the length of the clamp and extend downwardly a distance approximately one-fourth to one-third the thickness of the clamp. This is also seen in FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view of the clamp. It is to be noted that the interior edge 1197 of the clamp is beveled or rounded in order to minimize the tendency to cut into the rubber boot. Note also that the clamp is provided wtih drilled passages 112 through which the mounting screws may pass, being positioned to pass through the ridges as well as the body of the clamp.

In FIG. 5 the clamp is shown in cross section as it would be installed. The vamp 102 is retained on the ski ltiil by means of clamp 1%, with the inner edge of the clamp beveled to accommodate the upwardly extending portion 114 of the vamp without cutting into the surface thereof. Thus it is seen by reference to FIGS. 2 and 5 that the clamp includes a plurality of mounting holes extending through the ridge means and including a pair of mounting holes on each side positioned to straddle the break between the heel and vamp portions of the boot, and mounting holes adjacent the free ends of the clamp.

The present invention provides a serviceable boot for a water ski involving both durability and comfort. is desired to be covered by Letters Patent is not to be limited by the specific examples shown, but rather only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A water ski having a boot, the combination comprising a resilient vamp, a separate rubber heel support adjacent said vamp, said vamp and said heel support being of different thicknesses, and a clamp extending substantially around said vamp and said heel support, said clamp being of a generally horseshoe configuration and having a first and a second longitudinally extending side, ridge leans on the underside of each of said first and said second longitudinally extending side, said ridge means extending substantially throughout each of said sides and bridging the break on each side between said vamp and said heel support.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the inner edge of said clamp is beveled.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said ridge means extends below said clamp a distance from about one-fourth to about one-third the thickness of said clamp.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of screw holes extending through said clamp and said ridge means.

5. A clamp for water ski boots having a vamp and a separate heel support which comprises a generally horseshoe configuration and a first longitudinally extending side and a second longitudinally extending side, ridge What means on the undersurface of and substantially coextensive with each of said first and said second sides, said ridge means extending below the surface of said clamp a distance of about one-fourth to about one-third the thickness of said clamp, the inner edge of said clamp being beveled in configuration and spaced mounting holes centrally located about said clamp, including a plurality of mounting holes extending through said ridge means including a pair of mounting holes on each side positioned to straddle the break between the heel and vamp portions of the boot and mounting holes adjacent the free ends of said clamp.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 

1. A WATER SKI HAVING A BOOT, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A RESILIENT VAMP, A SEPARATE RUBBER HEEL SUPPORT ADJACENT SAID VAMP, SAID VAMP AND SAID HEEL SUPPORT BEING OF DIFFERENT THICKNESSES, AND A CLAMP EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY AROUND SAID VAMP AND SAID HEEL SUPPORT, SAID CLAMP BEING OF A GENERALLY HORSESHOE CONFIGURATION AND HAVING A FIRST AND A SECOND LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDE, RIDGE MEANS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDE, SAID RIDGE MEANS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT EACH OF SAID SIDES AND BRIDGING THE BREAK ON EACH SIDE BETWEEN SAID VAMP AND SAID HEEL SUPPORT. 